Spring of Clara

Clara used to feel nothing about spring. It’s neither as intense as winter nor as enthusiastic as summer. It’s more like an interim period of the season, something no one truly pays attention to find the beauty of it. Also, spring is the time of school. Clara hates school not only because she fears exams, but also because it’s easier to feel the loneliness in the school where everyone else has a couple of friends to hang out with. But the spring has come, whatever. It’s the first year of her senior year, and Clara is just becoming more aware that she is going to college. Going away from home and living in a dormitory with people who might come from everywhere still felt far from her. But it’s bloodily coming, catching her unconsciously. Pacing and sighing while walking under a Lilac tree on the way to the classroom, just looking at all the books in her arms makes her want to commit suicide. Maybe the god truly hears her “wish” and tries to achieve it out of his kindness, but a bottle of water hits Clara in the back of her neck with an exclamation, “Watch out!”. The pain is so sudden and harsh that Clara clutches her neck tightly, no time to blame the perpetrator. “Hey! Are you alright?” A face reflects in Clara’s eyes, “I was joking around with my friends. Sorry for the hit.” Clara has to admit that this boy is good-looking, which makes her feel stunned for a moment before replying. Yet nothing can rival with the feeling of furry of going to school and being hit by a FULL water bottle ten minutes before her math class. She can even imagine how mean her facial expression is, “FINE.” Then she just turns around and walks away. She is gonna be late. Andrew used to think he is good at making great first-impressions. Yet the first day of his one-semester exchange program breaks this thought. He has just through a FULL water bottle and hit a girl in the back of her neck. And she is definitely not “Fine” as she left with that horror countenance. Insides Andrew just hopes that he will not see her again and joins back into his friend group, going to his first class. ‘NO WAY.’ Clara has not expecting this at all. She even doubts whether her brain is injured by the water-bottle accident as the alleged culprit is literally in her classroom and sitting on the seat next to her. At the same time, Andrew nearly says the F word out loud in the classroom when he realizes who is coming for the seat next to him. He even deems that the whole thing is actually a dream and he might still be sleeping on his bed at home. Unfortunately, Andrew realizes this is the ridiculous reality after pinching his arm several times. The girl looks in a bad mood and he just wants to hide himself into a hole on the floor. How life can be a coincidence like that? Clara is not angry since the first time so she ascribes her terrible facial expression to her school syndrome. Or maybe it’s just her introverted personalities makes her looking cold and not easy to mess with in public. After she sits down, the ‘culprit’ suddenly says, “Hi.” Clara doesn’t know how to respond as she doesn’t think they really know each other to the degree of greeting. She was going to pretend nothing ever happened and they never meet each other. Yet she says “Hi” back out of politeness. The embarrassing atmosphere is so strong that Clara can’t bear to chuckle. Luckily, the teacher starts the class and they don’t talk again. Math class has always been Clara’s favorite, which makes her more different, on the negative side. Learning math makes her focus and disinterested about her surroundings. Also, the math teacher likes her a lot, which is one of the few things that makes her feel warm at school. During the recess, the teacher asks Clara to take Andrew who is the culprit to the library to get his textbooks. Clara doesn’t want to have any interactions with the guy sitting next to her, but guesses she still has to, for just 10 MORE minutes. Andrew reluctantly follows Clara to the library. The library is in fact a small storage room which is full of textbooks and datum. Clara opens the door with the key, telling Andrew to leave it open, and goes into the book mountains to find textbooks for him. Andrew looks at the girl in front of him. A body on the skinny side with a head of straight hair neatly combed, and the dark circles under her eyes are especially prominent on the fair skin. It's a pity that the bad temper and the mean face covers up her beauty. Clara is having a little difficulty to get the book as it has been pinned by several heaps of papers. Lifting and moving the paper books back and forth makes her a little out of breath. Andrew asks listening to the heavy crash of books, "Need help?" Before Clara could answer no, her foot trips over the corner of a book and loses her center of gravity, only leaves a screech as she is about to fall. But instead of a paroxysm of pain coming from her back as expected, she leans into a sturdy body. “Are you okay?” Clara turns around to see Andrew who is taking the book from her hands. she says in a small voice, “Yes, thank you.” But with a click she realizes something is wrong, “Wait. Why aren't you holding the door?” The two look back and the door has long since closed. Andrew has rushed over at the first second he heard the yell, not caring about the door at all. “This door is automatically locked from the outside and can't be opened from the inside!” Clara’s voice is intense. The fact that they are locked in a little room which is packed with books is really vexatious. She tries to knock on the door and shouts for help, yet it’s already the time of next class, which means no one is in the hallway. Andrew is aggrieved that he just protected her but is still being censured. Clara sees the little sadness on his face, softening her tone. “But it’s not just your fault. Thanks for helping me just now.” Andrew feels better after hearing her words. Maybe this girl is not as peevish as he thought. “So...what are we going to do now? “ “Guess we can only wait until someone finds that we are missing, and goes to ask the math teacher, who possibly will take them to here.” “But the key is in your hand?” “We can give it outside through the small gap under the door as long as someone is at the door.” She pauses, “Also, I believe the campus support department will have spare keys.” Andrew nods. They both fall into silence for a while until Andrew tries to start a chat because it’s too boring. “Uh, I’m Andrew. I’m a new guy in this school for the exchange program.” “I’m Clara. And I am an old student who has been studying here for two years.” She replies in a humorous way which is also a little bit dry. “Knew it from the time teacher called you. Nice to meet you, Clara.” Andrew smiles but doesn’t get any response. Clara is not being insolent, to clarify. She is just being engaged by a math book, which is about algebra. Andrew notices her interest in that book and asks, “You like math?” Clara raises her head to face Andrew, “I don’t know. Maybe.” “That’s not an answer.” Andrew jumped down from the bookcase where he was just sitting. “Are you good at it?” Clara nods. “That’s nice. And I can tell by the look of your eyes that you are passionate about it. So the answer should be, yes, you like math.” Complicated feelings germ in Clara’s heart. It’s the first time Clara has had such a conversation. The delight of being seen through the heart and the awkwardness that this person is a stranger whom she has just met intertwine. She says with an unconvinced mouth. “Is there anything different in my eyes?” Andrew grins, “Of course. Because people who don’t like math, like me, only have the despair of wanting to die in place when looking at math. Yours have attracted tiny sparks.” He feigns to commit suicide and comically pouts. Clara simmers with laughter of his funny face. This guy is interesting, she thought. But she still doesn’t respond much. Andrew, seeing that her attitude was still cold, thinks that she is still mindful of the morning's event and tries to give a further explanation. “Hey, I am really sorry about what happened in the morning. I was just joking around with my friends who study in this school. They were just too excited to see me. We were. So I hope... maybe you can forgive me? ” Clara realizes he has misunderstood her reaction and waves her hand. “No. It’s not a big deal. Don’t worry. I am not that ungenerous person, although I hold a grudge a lot of times. I don’t respond much to others sometimes. I guess is just my personality.” Andrew nods thoughtfully. Inside, he can tell it’s just her excuse, which she even believes. Although they had just met, he could tell a kind of special attraction around her. The mysteries of her make him so curious that he just wants to know more about her. They fall back into silence. Andrew tries to knock on the door several times, hoping to draw some attention. Yet the outside world is still as quiet as a cemetery. The worst result is that they have to wait for the class to end and call for help. Clara starts to read the algebra book she found just now, while Andrew chooses to lie down on cartons, looking out the window and enjoying the warmth of the sun shining on him. Being locked in a small storage room with a girl who has just been physically hurt by him, even novels don't write such plots. But life is a stage play without a script, full of dramatic plots and unexpected futures.